5 MORNING HABITS YOU'LL WANT TO ADOPT
So for the last couple of weeks I have been reading Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin & it has got me thinking a lot about habits, routines, rituals etc. One routine that always intrigues me is the morning routine. For some it may be to just get out of bed, dressed and out the door. But as a morning person (slightly) I believe the morning routine should include a few good habits. So I thought in order to make them more concrete, I would blog about them - logical right?!
Breakfast Always & Forever
I ride or die for breakfast. Breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner in fact. But in all seriousness it does start your day off right and helps me stay focused in the morning hours before lunch. I am most productive in this time before lunch and I think that is because I am not distracted by my stomach rumbling. In summer it is muesli & fruits or a smoothie (if I am time poor). In winter it is rolled oats with fruits. And a strong coffee, always & forever.
Resist the Phone
I am so guilty but I promise you I am trying. I have been burnt by this too many times. Woken up, checked my Comments/DM/Email to find something no one should be waking up to. Instead now I try to replace this morning habit with something much better for you.
Calm Down
(you've probably looked at your phone and got your heart rate up)
Calming down may just be to do whatever relieves your stress. Most likely suspects are meditation or exercise. Now I am more an afternoon walk/run/try not to die type of person but for some a 10 minute YouTube work out might work best in the morning to get you feeling alert. Your willpower at the start of the day is at 100%, so it would be the best time to get a sneaky workout in if you dread it and are more likely to pass later on in the day. Otherwise a small meditation of 5 or 10 minutes could do to clear the mind and get you ready for the day ahead.
Focus On Your Skin
Working from home means that make up is not my everyday but skin should be whether you are me or not. If you are someone who is likely to forget your skin, tie the act of your skin routine to another step of your morning routine. So for me that is my morning shower, brushing my teeth & starting my day at my desk. I have my Pep Start system within reach of all three depending on the step. My Pep Start Cleanser is with me in the shower, my eye cream is by my tooth brush because when brushing my teeth I am usually staring at my face closer than usual therefore analysing my bags under my eyes. My moisturiser is by my desk so that even if I don't do this step right away, I will always be reminded because I am always at my desk. Now this last step isn't all that practical if you're not working from home, but adapt it to your own morning rituals. The one thing about morning skin care, is that it is great if the products are multi-purpose. The Hydroblur moisturiser is great for someone who wants to skip primer as it really has a blurring effect on the skin and evens out texture. If you tend to walk to work or a little way from the bus stop, Hyrdorush moisturiser might be better suited as it already has SPF included. In the morning it is all about taking time for the things you enjoy and taking shortcuts for the rest.
Indulge
The last habit would be to indulge a little. Whether it is reading a bit of book, watch a short clip on youtube, flick through an old magazine, listen to your favourite 90s girl group. These little indulgences of giving yourself time to do something you enjoy and get joy from mean you are less likely to start the day negatively. Even better is that a lot of these can be done on the way to work.
What are your morning must-do's?
jasmine x
This post was created in collaboration with Clinique Australia